Proportional Representation Society of Australia
The Proportional Representation Society of Australia (PRSA) is one of Australia's oldest electoral reform organisations, with roots in the 19th century — Catherine Helen Spence was among its founding members. The current national constitution dates from 1982.
The Society's specific focus is proportional representation via the Single Transferable Vote (PR-STV), the Hare-Clark variant of which is used in Tasmania and the ACT. It advocates for extending this system to the House of Representatives (currently using preferential voting in single-member electorates) and to state lower houses.
What they argue
PR-STV produces results that more closely reflect the distribution of voter preferences across the electorate, reducing the "wasted votes" problem of single-member systems. The Society makes regular submissions to parliamentary inquiries on electoral matters and publishes a quarterly newsletter, Quota Notes.
PR-STV is distinct from party-list proportional representation (used in most of Europe) in that voters rank individual candidates rather than selecting parties — preserving a direct relationship between voters and representatives while achieving proportionality.
Links
- Website: prsa.org.au
See also
Upcoming events
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2026-11-12
2026 AGM — vote on 17-motion package to rename to Australian Electoral Reform Society and broaden remit beyond STVStructural vote: org rename + remit change
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History
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1988-05-13
Death of founding National President J.F.H. "Jack" Wright, who built PRSA into a national bodyDeath of a founding/senior leader
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On 13th May 1988, Mr J.F.H.Wright, who was instrumental in establishing the Society as a nation-wide body, died after a brief illness.
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2011-01-01
First three PRSA members admitted as Honorary Life Members
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Three PRSA members were admitted as the first ever Honorary Life Members of the PRSA earlier this year.
Reported in the March 2011 newsletter; the admissions occurred earlier that year, exact date not stated.
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2017-08-27
Death of long-serving National President Bogey Musidlak (President since 1994)Death of a founding/senior leader
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National President, Bogey Musidlak, who died on 27 August 2017, at the age of 63. Bogey had been President of the PRSA since 1 January 1994, for over 23 years.
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